Two Worlds, One Love
by Ann Frost
Summary: Something has happened. Frodo finds himself in the present day world...as a human. Can Frodo figure out what went wrong and get back to Middle Earth? Does he really want to? Please r&r.
1. The Happening

Disclaimer: This is the only one I'm going to write for this entire story, so listen up. I DO NOT and NEVER WILL own LOTR or any of it's characters. I DO own the characters that are NOT in LOTR and the plot of this story. If this story is in any way similar to another story, it is purely coincidental, for I have not read any other stories of LOTR. Thank you and have a nice day.  
  
  
  
A/N: Okay, so basically, this is my first LOTR fan fiction, so don't blame me if it is terrible. I have not read all three books, so some of the stuff taking place in Middle Earth might not be so accurate. I read most of the first one, though, and I've seen both movies (just waitin' for the third one to come out and I'll be a happy camper), but most of it's not going to take place in Middle Earth, so I guess it doesn't really matter, does it? Anyway, I hope you like it. Rated PG just to be safe, I don't think it will need it, though.  
  
Summery: Something unexpected has happened. Frodo finds himself in the present day world...as a human. Can he figure out what went wrong and go back to Middle Earth, or does he really want to?   
  
Chapter One: The Happening  
  
The wind swept briskly over the grassy Shire as young hobbits frolicked about, playing their various hobbit games. They didn't seem to notice that one slightly older hobbit had been watching them, remembering the days when he had played those same games. Mind you, he was not an old hobbit, he was just older than the children, for he was still quite young.  
  
"Mr. Frodo!" an urgent voice called to him from afar.  
  
"What is it, Sam?" Frodo Baggins asked as the other hobbit came to a halt beside him.  
  
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Sam continued, "Gandalf is want'n to see you. Says its important."  
  
Frodo wondered what the old wizard had been up to since the last time they all had seen him as he followed Sam back to his current residence. Once there, he found the wizard seated on a large stone outside of the home.  
  
"Gandalf, its good to see you." Frodo greeted his old friend, "It's been almost a year."  
  
"Yes," Gandalf nodded sullenly, "I did not mean to be away for so long, but I had some business to attend to."  
  
Frodo smiled at the comment. It was what Gandalf always said when he had been away for longer than he expected. Of course, with the wizard, it was usually true.  
  
"Well, you're back now and that's all that matters." Frodo replied.  
  
"I'm afraid not, my boy." Gandalf shook his head sadly, "Something has happened and I need your help."  
  
"What is it?" Frodo's voice filled with concern. He thought back to another time the wizard had needed his help. The One Ring of Power.  
  
"Don't worry, it's nothing too serious, just a slight problem I'm having getting messages to the elves." Gandalf assured him, "They don't seem to be getting any of the ones I've sent to them."  
  
Frodo let out a deep breath, relaxing a bit, "How can I help? I've no way to get them the messages, if that's what you're asking. They don't allow us to send letters outside of the Shire anymore."  
  
"No, no, of course not. That's not what I'm asking at all." Gandalf stood up and started to pace, obviously troubled by something, "What I'm asking is, if you could, find out why the messages haven't been received."  
  
"I'm not sure I know what you mean." Frodo scratched his head, "How am I supposed to do that?"  
  
"I need you to go to Rivendell." Gandalf hesitated, "They should be able to tell you."  
  
Frodo wasn't sure what to say, "Go to Rivendell?"  
  
"Yes. That is what I said."  
  
"Why aren't you able to go yourself?" Frodo asked.  
  
"I would, but unfortunately, I have some pressing matters to attend to." Gandalf said, hastily. "Can you do this for me? I know it's a lot to ask of you."  
  
"I swore to myself that I'd never leave the Shire ever again after what happened, but..." Frodo said, more to himself then to the wizard. He looked up, "I can't bring myself to keep that promise. When do I leave?"  
  
"As soon as possible, if you please, this is very important. Something is happening that the elves need to know about." Gandalf ushered Frodo inside to get his things, then bid him farewell as he went off to take care of those pressing matters.  
  
Frodo gathered the rest of his things, then set off on the road toward Rivendell. He hadn't hardly made it out of the Shire when a loud call came from behind him.  
  
"Frodo!!"  
  
Frodo vaguely recognized his elfish friend, Legolas, before he felt a tremendous jolt and fell to his hands and knees.   
  
"What are you doing here?" he asked as the elf rushed to help him up.  
  
"You must not go to Rivendell." Legolas replied, lifting Frodo to his feet  
  
"I don't understand." Frodo shook his head.  
  
"Trust me." Legolas shifted as he looked down the road Frodo had just about gone down, "Come. There is much to explain."  
  
"What just happened?" Frodo asked, not budging from his spot.  
  
"Frodo, we must---" Legolas stopped as a loud hissing noise reached them. "It is too late..."  
  
Frodo felt numb as visions of Legolas and Middle Earth passed through his mind and faded into the past.  
  
  
  
The sky was getting ominous and dreary as Sarah Porter and her dog, Kalipso, trudged along the well-beaten back roads of her small town.  
  
"I hope it waits to rain until we get home." she said, shielding her eyes as she looked up at the blackening sky. Several strands of her dark brown hair hung down in her face, but she quickly brushed them away as she continued talking to her small, four-legged companion. "Well, Kalipso, how long do you think we have been gone?"  
  
The small shaggy, white dog looked up at her pathetically.  
  
"I know you want me to carry you, but you need the exercise. You've been getting a little pudgy these past few months." Sarah laughed as the dog whined, "It scares me sometimes how you can tell what I'm saying."  
  
Kalipso barked, playfully snapping at Sarah's ankles.  
  
"Quit it! You know I don't like it when you do that." she scolded, but the dog did not let up. "Come on, Kalipso, cut it out!"  
  
Kalipso did as she was told, then retreated to hiding under a bush.  
  
"What's gotten into you? Kalipso?" Sarah knelt down infront of the bush and lifted a few branches out of the way. She quickly reached in and took hold of Kalipso's collar, trying to pull the dog from her shelter, but Kalipso was insistent not to move from her place under the brush. "Come on Kalipso! Don't do this to me now!"  
  
But the dog wouldn't move.  
  
"Fine, I'll just have to come in there after you..." Sarah trailed off as her evergreen eyes came to rest on what looked like a pair of feet.  
  
Sarah gasped as she moved the rest of the branches out of the way, uncovering what looked like to her, a very handsome, very unconscious, young man. 


	2. Wake Up!

Chapter Two: Wake Up!  
  
Sarah let go of Kalipso's collar as she slowly crawled up beside the unconscious man she had found.   
  
"What are you doing out here?" she whispered more to herself than to him. She looked down at his face and gently pushed a few strands of hair away from his eyes...his eyes that had just opened very, very wide.  
  
Sarah gasped and jumped back, but she wasn't nearly fast enough. Their heads connected quite painfully as he bolted upright.  
  
"Ouch." Sarah held her head as she closed her eyes and sat back against a near-by tree. The young man was rubbing his head as well. "You didn't need to do that, ya know?"  
  
"What?" he said as more pain shot through is head.   
  
"You didn't need to sit up so fast like that." she stated, opening her eyes to look at him. "It probably caused a worse headache for you than you would have had anyway."  
  
"Who are you?" he asked, not making the attempt to stand up just yet.  
  
"Who are you?" Sarah repeated, raising an eyebrow to him as he stared at her.  
  
"Frodo." he replied. Sarah grinned.  
  
"As in Baggins?"  
  
"Yes." Frodo looked at her closely, "Have we met before?"  
  
Sarah laughed, amused at his funny expression, but a little nervous about his answer.   
  
"No, we've never met." Sarah reached her hand out for him to shake, "I'm Sarah Porter."  
  
"Sarah." Frodo studied her, then took her hand carefully. "If we have never met, how is it that you know my name?"  
  
Sarah wasn't sure how to answer that. Should she tell him the truth or make something up? She opened her mouth to reply, but Frodo interrupted her.  
  
"Where am I?" he had been looking around at their surroundings. His voice sounded on the verge of panic and his expression confirmed it. "What am I doing here?!"  
  
"Funny thing, I was just going to ask you that." Sarah smiled hopefully at him...she was hoping that he wasn't going to go crazy and do something stupid out of panic.  
  
He looked like he might do just that, except next thing she knew, he had passed out infront of her.  
  
"Well at least I know something about you this time." Sarah said simply as she proceeded to stand up. She looked down on Frodo thoughtfully, "I can't just leave you here, it looks like it's going to rain."  
  
Kneeling down next to him, she struggled to lift him, but she wasn't strong enough to do so with severely hurting herself or him. She turned to her dog, who immediately scurried off to get help.  
  
"Seriously scary." Sarah muttered to herself as she attempted to at least move Frodo to some sort of shelter in case it started to rain, but had little luck, "As long as I have Kalipso, I'll never need a cell phone...could use with a body builder, though."  
  
Frodo awoke some time later in a strangely decorated room. The walls were completely void of color and the floors a light shade of blue. The furniture was also strange to him.  
  
Slowly, he sat up and got a better look of everything.  
  
"So you're awake," he heard a voice say, "Good."  
  
Looking around he finally saw the source of where the voice was coming from. Sarah Porter stood in the doorway for a second before walking over to the bed.  
  
"You've been out for almost an entire day." she said, sitting down in the chair next to the bed.  
  
"Where am I?" Frodo asked, again with panic edging in his voice. Sarah raised her hands to calm him.  
  
"Don't pass out on me again, okay?" she lowered her hands, "You're at my house in the guest bedroom."  
  
"Why am I here?"  
  
"Would you have rather had me leave you out in the rain?" Sarah gestured toward a window on the other side of the room.  
  
Frodo looked out as rain poured down, slightly flooding the street. Lightning flashed before his eyes and he shook his head. "How did I get here?"  
  
"Well, after you passed out, I sent Kalipso to get help and my brothers came---"  
  
"No, no," Frodo interrupted, "The last thing I remember, I was leaving the Shire for Rivendell and Legolas appearing. Next thing I knew, I was looking up into your face from somewhere I didn't recognize."  
  
"The Shire?" Sarah asked wearily. "Where the hobbits live?"  
  
Frodo looked at her strangely, "Yes. Why?"  
  
"Frodo, do you think that you...that you're a..." Sarah tried to think of a better way to put it than 'Frodo do you think you're a hobbit? If you say yes, they're gonna lock you up forever.', but couldn't, so she just blurted it out, "Do you think you're a hobbit?"  
  
Frodo looked taken aback.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just you keep talking about stuff from those books as if they were real and that you are actually the Frodo Baggins from them." Sarah replied quickly. There was a confused look on Frodo's face.  
  
"What books?" he questioned. What books could she talking about that he would be in? None that he could think of, that's for sure.  
  
"You know, 'The Lord of the Rings'?" she answered, unsure of how he would react.  
  
"'The Lord of the Rings'?" Frodo repeated.  
  
"Yeah, the sequel to 'The Hobbit' otherwise known as 'There and Back Again'."  
  
"My uncle wrote it?" Frodo's eyes widened, "He wrote 'There and Back Again'."  
  
"Oh, dear." Sarah said to herself and turned to look out the window a second, then turned back to him. In her best calm voice she whispered, for that was all she could do, to him, "Frodo, you aren't a hobbit and you're not from those books. You know that, right?"  
  
"What are you talking about? Of course I'm a hobbit!" Frodo looked bewildered as he threw his legs over he side of the bed, "As for the books, I really wouldn't know what you're talking about."  
  
Sarah knelt down beside the bed and looked up at him, "Frodo, I'm not a hobbit."  
  
"Okay, but what does that---"  
  
Sarah stood, pulling him to his feet as she did. Looking up into his eyes, "Frodo, if I'm not a hobbit, and you are, why are you taller than me?" 


	3. The Truth Is Revealed

Chapter Three: The Truth is Revealed  
  
Frodo looked down at her, then backed away. The bed stopped him from going too far, almost causing him to fall back onto it.  
  
"I don't believe it." he said as he regained his balance.  
  
"Frodo---" Sarah reached her hand out to him, but he moved out of distance. "Frodo, it's the truth. If you were a hobbit, wouldn't your feet be...um, hobbit-like?"  
  
Sarah watched as Frodo looked down at his feet, which were completely smooth, no noticeable hair to be seen. He seemed to be more shaken by this than the fact that he was taller than her, although she couldn't imagine why. The hairy feet had to be her least favorite part of the hobbit description.  
  
"Do you believe me now?" she asked. He had this shocked look on his face that Sarah couldn't help but smile at. This guy must have really thought he was a hobbit!  
  
"This can't be...I can't be..." he mumbled, staring at the ground. Suddenly, he turned his attention to her, "How did this happen?!"  
  
Sarah raised her hands up in innocence, "Don't look at me, I didn't do anything."  
  
He eyes did not waver from her's and was making her slightly uncomfortable. "I suppose now you're going to tell me that this is not even Middle Earth?"  
  
Sarah looked at him sympathetically.  
  
"You are, aren't you?!" Frodo threw his hands up in frustration and walked to the window. He had not even gazed out for a second before he stumbled back. He leaned with his back against the wall before he slid down and was sitting on the floor. Confusion lighted his eyes as he was overcome by fear.   
  
Sarah could tell he was starting to panic again. Slowly, she made her way over to him, "Frodo?"  
  
He looked at everything but her as he quietly whispered to himself what sounded like nonsense to her ears.   
  
"Frodo?" she sat down next to him and took his hand, "Frodo please say something."  
  
Frodo looked down at her hand, then shifted his gaze to her eyes.  
  
"I think I must be going mad or something!" he said, then looked suddenly toward the door across the room from them. "Your brothers are coming."  
  
A few moments later, the door burst open and in came David and Logan Porter, Sarah's two oldest brothers.   
  
Sarah looked from her brothers to Frodo, curiosity showing plainly on her face.  
  
"What's going on in here?" David demanded, but not harshly, as his eyes rested on the two of them sitting on the floor by the window. David was the kind of guy who jumps to conclusions without really thinking. He was the eldest of four children, and being twenty-three, he felt he should know everything that was going on whether it was any of his business or not.  
  
"Why are you sitting on the floor?" Logan inquired, smiling for some unknown reason, as usual. This, and the fact that they were the closest in age to each other of the four---he being nineteen and she being seventeen---,was what made Logan Sarah's favorite brother to be around. He was always so happy and it was contagious, you couldn't help but smile when he was there.  
  
"Fr---" Sarah started to say but Frodo interrupted her.  
  
"I assume you're the ones who brought me here?" Frodo raised his eyes to them.   
  
"Yep." Logan said, cheerfully.  
  
"What were you doing out there, anyway?" David asked, suspiciously as Frodo stood up slowly.  
  
Frodo looked down at Sarah, then offered her his hand to help her up.   
  
Taking it, he easily pulled her to her feet, all the while she was thinking, "Wow, he's stronger than he looks!", but quietly whispered, "Thank you."  
  
Nodding to her, he turned his attention back to her brothers who had been watching intently. Well, David had been watching intently. Logan had picked up a T.V. Guide from a near-by table and was thumbing though it, humming to himself the theme song of whatever show caught his eye.  
  
"I am afraid that I cannot answer that question, as I really don't know." he replied.  
  
"I see." David crossed his arms over his chest and walked steadily closer to Frodo. "So...where are you from?"  
  
Oh no, Sarah thought, Please don't say the Shire, please don't say the Shire!  
  
"The Shire." Frodo stated.   
  
Sarah looked at her brother's humorously confused face when an idea struck her. She stepped up beside Frodo, "New Hampshire, that's what he calls New Hampshire. You know, 'the Shire' for short?"  
  
She could see Frodo looking at her strangely out of the corner of her eye, but she ignored him.   
  
"New Hampshire, huh?" David didn't look convinced at Sarah's attempt to explain Frodo's term. He turned his back to them and fiddled with a small knick-knack on one of the bookcases lining the side wall, "For a second, I thought you were talking about the place where the hobbits live."  
  
Frodo opened his mouth to say something, but Sarah, being afraid of what would come out, clamped her hand over it. Frodo mumbled something as he looked at her with wide eyes.  
  
Sarah raised her finger to her lips in a way that said for him not to say anything when she removed her other hand from his mouth.  
  
"I don't think he appreciates that, Sarah." Sarah let go of Frodo as Logan laughed. Frodo nodded his head in agreement with Logan. He had understood her and the whole 'not talking' thing after all.  
  
"I was just---" she tried to explain, "---but I---"  
  
"Yeah, that was understandable." Logan said with amusement. David had turned slightly before Sarah had moved her hand from Frodo's mouth, but had decided to let Logan do the talking for once. "What were you doing that for anyway? I think I'd like to hear what he was going to say that you found to be mouth-covering worthy."  
  
Sarah felt like somebody had splashed a bucket of ice water all over her as she thought about what was about to happen. She wished Frodo could read minds. If he could, he would know she was screaming, "If you value your freedom, don't tell them you were a hobbit! My brothers are not as understanding as I am, and I think you're a little off your rocker, myself! But then, I guess I am too, 'cause no sane person would be in this situation, would they?"  
  
Frodo looked at her with a pained expression on his face and Sarah wondered if he really could read her thoughts. He was starting to make her feel really guilty and really self-conscious by the way he kept looking at her. Funny, though, she was getting an equally disturbing look from both David and Logan.  
  
"You told her you were a hobbit?" Logan smiled, again somewhat amused.   
  
Dang it! I must have really been saying those things! Sarah thought.  
  
"New Hampshire, huh?" David cast a sideways glare at Sarah, then turned his full attention to Frodo, "Is that what you meant or did you mean 'the Shire' where hobbits live?"  
  
  
  
Frodo still felt the pain from what Sarah had said so abruptly and now her brothers, who's names he still did not know, were bearing down on him. Well, the one who was talking to him at the moment was, but he was doing it so well it seemed like both of them.  
  
Frodo didn't really know what Sarah had meant about valuing his freedom, but he decided to take her advice and not say anything about being a hobbit.  
  
"New Hampshire...yes." Frodo replied after an extended silence. He smiled when he saw the look of relief he saw come over Sarah's face, but it quickly faded away as he turned his attention back to her brother. "Now, may I ask you something?"  
  
"Fire away." David said, slight annoyance edged in his voice.  
  
"Who are you?" Frodo inquired.  
  
Sarah stepped up. "These are two of my brothers." she said, pointing to each one as she said their names, "That's Logan, and this is David. Our younger brother, Jeremy, he's ten and a pain in the neck, is away at school for the year. You won't be meeting him anytime soon."  
  
Frodo nodded.  
  
"Now, I want to ask you the same thing." David stated. "Who are you?"  
  
Frodo saw Sarah's face pale at this question, and he knew why. 


	4. The Idea

Chapter Four: The Idea  
  
Sarah looked from David to Frodo, her blood running cold at the thought of what was about to happen. Frodo was going to tell them his name and be sent away for a very, very long time, she just knew it.She had the worst feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.  
  
Fake amnesia, pass out, punch my brother, just don't tell him your name! Sarah thought to herself, this time making sure she kept her mouth tightly shut. She wasn't sure why she didn't want this guy she barely knew to be taken away. He was crazy, wasn't he? He could be some psychopath just waiting for the right moment to...  
  
Sarah was suddenly pulled back to reality by the sound of Frodo's voice.  
  
"How about you call me Frodo?" he said. Sarah was mentally smacking him for that. David turned to look at Logan who had burst out laughing at Frodo's suggestion.  
  
"What are you doing?!" she mouthed to him as David's back was still turned.  
  
"Trust me." Frodo mouthed back and winked at her, making her smile slightly. Heat crept up into her cheeks as he smiled back.  
  
"Why should we call you that?" David had returned his attention to Frodo. His eyes flicked from Frodo to Sarah, who was still blushing from the smile Frodo had given her.  
  
"Well," Frodo said stepping infront of Sarah so that now he was face to face with David, "It could be like a joke."  
  
"A joke?" David said skeptically, but Logan was listening with renewed interest.  
  
"What kind of joke?" Logan asked.  
  
"You know, the whole 'Shire' misunderstanding!" Sarah jumped in, but was quickly discouraged by David's glare.  
  
"He does have a mouth, Sarah, let him use it." David snapped. Sarah quieted down and backed up a bit behind Frodo.  
  
"That's what I mean, though. The whole 'Shire' misunderstanding, as you called it." Frodo turned to Sarah for a moment as he said, "What better name to call me than Frodo?"  
  
"How about your real name? Huh? That would be a better one." David scoffed.  
  
"Wait a second, David. I kinda like this idea!" Logan stood and walked over to them. He stuck out his hand to Frodo, "Hiya, Frodo. Nice to meet'cha!"  
  
"Put your hand down, we're not calling him 'Frodo'!" David yelled as he hit Logan's hand away from Frodo.  
  
"What is your problem?" Logan asked as he rubbed his hand, "He wants to be called Frodo, so why don't we?"  
  
"Because..." David began, "Because..."  
  
No matter how hard he tried, he could not think of a reason not to, other than the reason he had already stated.  
  
"Because---because it's not really his name!" David exclaimed.  
  
"So? He wants to be called Frodo." said Logan.  
  
"Don't you think that's just a little, if not insanely, weird?!" David said, trying not to lose his patience when, clearly, it had gone very far away already.  
  
Frodo had been watching them bicker back and forth for some time when he had finally had enough and interrupted, "It's as simple as this, either you call me Frodo or you can just say 'Hey you!' to get my attention. I would appreciate it greatly, however, if you would just choose one and stop talking about it like I'm not even here."  
  
David and Logan stopped to look at Frodo, a kind of shocked expression on both of their faces. Frodo could hear Sarah try to suppress a giggle, but not quite being able to, making Frodo himself smile.  
  
"What are you smiling at?" David snapped at him.  
  
"Nothing of great importance to you." Frodo replied. "So are you going to call me Frodo or not?"  
  
"Not!" David said finally losing the rest of his patience along with his temper.  
  
"Well I am." Logan stated. David turned to glare at his brother. Logan just shrugged his shoulders, "What did you want me to say? Unlike you, I don't have a problem with it."  
  
"Neither do I." Sarah spoke up. David gaped back at her, then turned his gaze toward Frodo, giving him a look that could kill. "You'd better get used to hearing it, David, Frodo's going to be here for a while."  
  
"If you think I'm going to let this---this weirdo stay here in our house, you're just about as crazy as he is!" David stalked toward the door, intending to leave.  
  
Sarah called after him as he disappeared behind the closing door, "Well it's a good thing that it's not up to you, then, isn't it?!"  
  
The door slammed shut behind him.  
  
  
  
"I'm really sorry about that, Frodo." Sarah apologized as he turned to look at her. "He's just really stubborn and protective...not really the best combination if you ask me."  
  
"I could tell." Frodo mumbled under his breath as he shifted his gaze back toward the door, before locking eyes with her again.  
  
"And don't worry, he can't kick you out." Sarah said, trying to be as reassuring as she possibly could, but under his intense gaze, she could barely think.  
  
"Yeah, only Dad can do that." Logan butted in, coming up beside them. "I would strongly suggest that the two of you stay away from each other, however."  
  
Sarah stopped staring up at Frodo to look over at her brother, but even when she did, she kept glancing over at him. "Why?"  
  
Logan let out a deep breath, his lips curling up into a grin, "Because Dad would definitely kick him out if he thought that you were getting too close, if you know what I mean."  
  
Sarah felt a wave of emotion sweep over her, she knew what he meant. By the look on his face, Sarah could tell Frodo knew what he meant, too. He meant having feelings for each other...falling in love.  
  
"Well, Frodo, why don't you come with me down stairs to meet everyone?" Logan asked. "You've been the talk of the town ever since we brought you home."  
  
"Sure." Frodo followed Logan to the door, but he hadn't really heard what had been said. He had been watching Sarah's expression change as she thought to herself.  
  
"I've gotta warn you, though,"Logan pulled the door open, gesturing Frodo to go out first, "The whole town is probably down there by now."  
  
Frodo had heard that and pulled his attention to Logan, "What?"  
  
"Don't worry, there's not really that many people living here. It's not a very big town." Logan replied, laughter in his voice.  
  
Connecting eyes with Frodo once more before he walked through the doorway, Sarah felt her heart lunge in her chest and her stomach do a summersault.  
  
"Come on, everybody's waiting!" Logan practically pushed Frodo through the door, closing it behind them. Sarah let out a sigh, remembering how Frodo's eyes had been so...her heart skipped a beat.  
  
Sinking down onto the bed and placing her head in her hands, she whispered to herself, "I think this may be a problem." 


	5. What's Going On!

Chapter Five: What's Going On?!  
  
After what had seemed like an hour passed, Sarah heard movement coming toward the door from the direction of the stairs.   
  
"Well, Frodo, it was nice to meet you." Sarah heard her father say as he and Frodo stood outside of the room. Frodo said something in reply, but Sarah didn't hear what that was. Apparently, though, it must have been funny because she could hear her father laugh, "Yeah, well, you can stay here as long as you need to."  
  
"Thank you, sir---" she heard Frodo say, but her father interrupted him.  
  
"None of that 'sir' stuff will be necessary, Frodo." he laughed again. Sarah sighed in relief.  
  
"Dad must really like him." she whispered to herself.   
  
"Then what am I to call you?" Frodo's muffled voice asked.  
  
"Richard, or Mr. Porter will be fine." Mr. Porter stated as he opened the door to the room where Sarah was currently. "Sarah, so this is where you disappeared to. I was just about to tell Frodo, here, that he could stay in this room."  
  
"Good." Sarah said with a smile as she stood up. "This room deserves to be used, it doesn't really get many guests."  
  
Sarah cringed at the words that had just escaped her mouth. Why did I just say that?! It was so stupid! He's going to think I'm an idiot!  
  
"Well, then, I would be glad to stay here." If he was thinking she was an idiot, he didn't let it on. In fact, he played along, "Wouldn't want the room to get lonely, would we?"   
  
"No, we wouldn't what to do that." Sarah said with a nervous laugh. Following this came an awkward silence between Sarah and Frodo; Mr. Porter did not seem to notice it.  
  
"It's settled then." Mr. Porter clasped his hands together. "Well, that's one less thing to think about. I think I'm going to go back down stairs now. Oh, and Sarah, do you think you could show Frodo around town tomorrow? He told me a couple of minutes ago that he is---how did you put it? 'Unfamiliar with the territory'? I figured you'd be the best choice to show him around...you spend most of your time wandering from place to place anyway and you did find him."  
  
"Yeah, sure." Sarah smiled hesitantly as she thought. Dad, you have no idea what you just did, do you?  
  
"Great!" Mr. Porter stifled a yawn. Looking down at his watch, he simultaneously walked back a ways to the door. Opening it he stated, "Well, it's getting late so don't stay up too long." Then he was gone.  
  
No idea at all...Sarah thought to herself, then looked over at Frodo. Smiling more freely now, she asked, "You up to it?"  
  
Returning her grin, he replied, "I think I can handle it."  
  
"Good." Sarah said, suddenly realizing that she was holding one of the bed pillows tightly against herself. She had picked it up when her father and Frodo had come into the room, unconsciously hugging it the entire time. Slightly embarrassed, she held the pillow out to him and smiled sheepishly. "It's really soft."  
  
Frodo nodded, but before he could say anything in reply, Sarah was on her way out the door.  
  
"Um, good-night, Frodo." she said in a small voice. "We can talk tomorrow, okay? Good-night."  
  
With that, the sound of the door clicking shut behind her echoed through the room.  
  
"Good-night..." Sarah heard Frodo say as she lingered for a second outside of his door.  
  
Walking down the hall to her own bedroom, she whispered to herself, " 'It's really soft'?! What was I thinking?"   
  
Flopping down on her bed, Sarah stared up at the ceiling, "One thing's for sure...I don't have to worry about him getting any feelings for me, and any feelings he may have had are now dead and buried. Now my only problem is what I might be feeling for him."  
  
Sitting up, she reached across her bed to the desk and picked up her phone. She dialed the number, then huffed impatiently when they didn't pick up right away. The answering machine soon picked up, "...please leave a message after the beep. **BEEP**"  
  
"Come on, Elnora, I know you're home! Pick up!!" Sarah spoke forcefully into it. After a couple seconds, Sarah heard a click, then her friend's groggy voice.  
  
"What is it, Sarah?" Elnora asked, sleepily.   
  
"Thank goodness, El! I have to talk to you about something important."  
  
"Can it wait till tomorrow? It's almost one." Sarah heard her friend yawn.  
  
"I guess, but its REALLY important." Sarah emphasized, "Meet us at the park by the big oak tree around ten, okay?"  
  
"Whatever. Can I go now?" Elnora moaned.  
  
"Yeah, but don't be late! Bye." Sarah said hurriedly and hung up the phone. Falling back down onto her bed, she sighed. Relaxing somewhat, she drifted off to sleep, "Tomorrow..."  
  
Frodo lay motionless on the bed that he had awoken from earlier that day, his mind swimming from everything that had happened before and since that moment. He thought back over what he could remember, "I was going to Rivendell...then Legolas was there...Sarah..."  
  
His train of thought broke into a thousand pieces at the thought of her.  
  
"Sarah," Frodo smiled. A sudden warmth swept through his body making him laugh, "I must be crazy! I don't even know her." Frodo lifted himself to his elbows, "But I can't help but feel that we're connected...in some way." He rubbed his hands over his face and let out a deep breath. "Aaaghh, I've got to stop thinking like this!"  
  
Sitting up more, he shut his eyes, trying once again to remember, "Gandalf...Rivendell...Legolas..." Frodo's eyes popped open, "Legolas! Whatever happened, he was there! What was it that he said..."  
  
Legolas's voice filled his head as the words came back, somewhat scattered, "'You must not go to Rivendell...it is too late...' What was too late?"  
  
Suddenly as if he was actually hearing it still, the hissing sound came back to him louder than ever. Frodo closed his eyes tightly and covered his ears. "Go away, just go away!"  
  
Sarah awoke abruptly, she had heard something strange, yet familiar, coming from Frodo's room. "What is that?" she whispered. Getting out of bed, she walked slowly to her door and cracked it open a bit. Peeking into the hall, the sound had increased. It was a terrible hissing, it almost sounded like a giant snake.   
  
Slipping on a robe and a pair of slippers so she wouldn't wake anybody up with the sound of her footsteps, if they hadn't already been woken up by that awful noise, she crept out into the hall and made her way to Frodo's room.  
  
Standing outside the door, she could hear Frodo's voice, "Go away!"  
  
Sarah placed her hand on the door frame as she slowly turned the knob with the other. Trying not to make a sound, she cracked the door open slightly and peered in. Frodo was kneeling on the ground covering his ears, his eyes tightly closed . The hissing sound was almost deafening now and Sarah wondered why nobody else had gotten up.  
  
"Please stop, stop!!" Frodo begged it, but the sound continued to get louder and louder as Sarah stood there. He let out a yell as he doubled over in pain.  
  
It was killing Sarah to see him like that. Without thinking, she threw the door open and rushed over to him, "Frodo?!"  
  
  
  
At the sound of her voice, and the feel of her touch on his shoulder, he opened his eyes to see her kneeling down next to him. Expressions of concern and fear flashed simultaneously across Sarah's face, as did pain.   
  
"What's going on? What is that terrible noise?!" He could barely hear her say.   
  
Well, at least he knew he wasn't imagining it. But what did it mean?  
  
"I don't know!" Frodo yelled over the hiss.  
  
"Make it stop!!" Sarah yelled back.  
  
"I can't!" Frodo yelled once again as both he and Sarah covered their ears. "Believe me, I've tried!!"  
  
A sudden flash of blinding white light stretched across the far wall of the room as the sound instantly stopped. Frodo glanced up, as did Sarah. The great outline of a man walking out of the light was the only thing in their sights. 


	6. It Can't Be True, Can It?

Chapter Six: It Can't Be True, Can It?  
  
"Gandalf?" Frodo asked as he shielded his eyes. Was the wizard really here?  
  
"No, Frodo." the man said, "Gandalf is not here. He sent me, though."  
  
When the light subsided a little, and their eyes adjusted more to the blessed dimness of the room, Frodo and Sarah looked up at the character infront of them.  
  
"Legolas!" Frodo shouted, then jumped up to greet his friend. "Gandalf sent you?"  
  
"Yes." Legolas said, obviously noticing the changed height and appearance in Frodo. Glancing down, he saw Sarah and a strange look came over his face. "Hello."  
  
"Hello." Sarah returned, somewhat confused. "Who are you?"  
  
"I am Legolas." he said, hiding his amusement.  
  
"Sarah." Sarah said as she stood up. Turning to Frodo, she asked, "You know him?"  
  
"Yes, he's an old friend." Frodo replied, smiling at her.  
  
Looking from Frodo to Legolas she asked skeptically, "Does this 'old friend' also happen to be from Middle Earth? The Elf Prince of Mirkwood, perhaps?"  
  
Legolas gave Frodo a strange look quite different from the one he had given her, but still strange none the less. Frodo understood why and replied under his breath, "She doesn't believe that I'm really a hobbit from the Shire."  
  
"I can see why, Frodo. You've changed." Legolas replied, turning his head to look at the ex-hobbit.  
  
Frodo laughed, then heard a gasp come from Sarah. When he looked, she had a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. Frodo followed her gaze to Legolas...and his pointed ears.  
  
"But I see you haven't." Frodo said, then pointed to his ear. Legolas finally understood the reason for the girl's gasp.  
  
"Oh...well, yes." he said, then explained. "Like I said before, Gandalf sent me, not the unknown that brought you here." Seeing the look of confusion on Frodo's face, he went on to say, "Meaning, I stay an elf, whereas you did not stay a hobbit."  
  
"The unknown?" Frodo asked, slight confusion still crossing his brow.  
  
"That's what we've been calling it since we don't actually know what or who it is." Legolas told them. "All we know is that it wants to rid Middle Earth of hobbits. By sending them here, the hobbit no longer exists and the whole race will cease to be."  
  
Frodo opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.  
  
"I know it's hard for you to understand, but---" Legolas began, but was interrupted.  
  
"No, I understand completely!" Frodo replied loudly, disturbed greatly by this information, "That's why these people here don't believe me! You are basically telling me that this is some time in the future or this is some other world we're in now, aren't you? Hobbits don't exist anymore, right?"  
  
"Many, many years into the future, Frodo." Legolas said simply. "And, yes, to them, hobbits don't exist."  
  
"This is just great!" Frodo threw his hands up in the air and started to pace. Stopping for a second, he looked back at the elf, "What am I supposed to do now? Did Gandalf send you to take me back?"  
  
As much as he wished to return to the Shire, Frodo was dreading the answer to that question for fear that it would be 'yes' and he would have to leave without finding out what it was about Sarah that made him feel so different to be around her. Even in this situation, he still felt the warmth she had created within him.  
  
Legolas shook his head, "I'm afraid Gandalf hasn't been able to find a way to send those who travel here, back to Middle Earth." Frodo looked at him for a second before opening his mouth to ask a question, but Legolas understood and replied, "Neither you, nor I, or anyone else will be able to return until he can."  
  
"So...let me get this straight," Sarah said, finally finding her voice. Pointing to Legolas she asked, "You're really an elf," Then turning to Frodo, "and you're really a hobbit from the Shire who is no longer a hobbit and no longer in the Shire. Is that about right?"  
  
"Essentially." Legolas stated, as Frodo smiled at her simplified explanation.   
  
  
  
"Am I dreaming? I have to be dreaming, 'cause this can't possibly be real!" Sarah cried, her mind whirling. Starting to pace in a similar fashion as Frodo had only moments before, she rambled on to herself incoherently as Legolas and Frodo stood back and tried to decipher what she was saying. At last she slowed down to face them and said loudly, "...this is crazy! There is no way this is real! It can't be. 'The Lord of the Rings' is just a book, nothing more. Fiction, that's all it is!"   
  
With that, Sarah fell back onto the bed and covered her face with her hands. There was silence in the room for the next few minutes, causing Sarah to speak up once more, "Just because I have a mental breakdown doesn't mean that you can't have a good time, you know. Go ahead and talk, it's fine by me! I mean, hey, I have an ex-hobbit and an elf in my guest bedroom, the latter of which got here by walking through the wall. That's okay, though, 'cause now I'm officially insane!!"  
  
Sitting up, she uncovered her eyes to see both of the Middle Earthers staring at her.  
  
"I'm sorry if we've cause you any---" Legolas began, but Sarah raised her hand to cut him off.  
  
"No, I'm sorry, it's not your fault that you're stuck here." she stood up once more.  
  
"So you believe us?" Frodo asked. Sarah saw the hopeful look on his face, in his eyes.  
  
"After what I've just seen and heard, how could I not?" Sarah looked at their faces and smiled, seeming to know what they were thinking, "Oh, before, that was just something I had to get out of my system, that's all. I mean, really, can you blame me?"   
  
  
  
A broad smile spread across Frodo's face at Sarah's reply. She finally believed them...believed him! The feeling inside him grew stronger at the thought.   
  
Suddenly another feeling came over him and his smile disappeared. Looking directly at the door, he whispered to Sarah, "Your father is coming."  
  
"What? How do you know?" Sarah asked him. Frodo turned to look at her. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Legolas watching him, a curious look playing across his face. Frodo ignored him.  
  
"I was right about your brothers before, wasn't I? Just trust me." he told her. Nodding, Sarah turned to Legolas and started to pull him by the arm towards the closet.  
  
"You have to come with me." she stated, then explained when Legolas stopped letting her drag him along, "If my father finds you, or me, for that matter, in here talking to Frodo in the middle of the night, there is going to be serious trouble. One, he'll probably call the police. Two, Frodo will get kicked to the curb for sure. Three, you'd have to find someplace else to stay if you're not arrested first. On the other hand, if we hide, nothing bad will happen and you can stay here with Frodo and my family for as long as you need to."  
  
Legolas looked at her for a second then turned to Frodo, he whispered, "She certainly does have an interesting way of getting the point across, doesn't she?"  
  
"Come on! We haven't got all day!" Sarah urged.  
  
Frodo could see the smile appear on the elf's face as he whispered again, "And bossy too."  
  
Frodo watched as Legolas then let Sarah continue leading him to the closet to hide. After they were safely inside and hidden, Frodo heard a knock come from outside his room.  
  
"Is everything alright in there, Frodo?" 


	7. Closets and Conversations

Chapter Seven: Closets and Conversations  
  
Rushing to the door, Frodo opened it to find Mr. Porter standing there, a robe covering his blue striped pajamas.   
  
"Something wrong Mr. Porter?" Frodo asked innocently.  
  
"I thought I heard something...voices coming from in there." Richard said, pointing behind Frodo. "Is somebody in th---"  
  
Frodo interrupted him by pushing the door open wider so the older man could see inside, "No, sir---I mean, Mr. Porter. I'm the only one in this room."  
  
Technically, he wasn't lying, he was the only one in that room...he didn't count the closet as part of it since it could be closed off from the rest. He was sure, though, that it was not entirely big enough to be considered a room all by itself.  
  
Mr. Porter stepped inside to get a better look around, "Are you sure? I could have sworn I heard voices. One of which sounded like my daughter's."  
  
Frodo didn't have to look at the man to know that he was becoming suspicious. Frodo needed to put Sarah's father's mind to rest. "As you can see, she's not here."  
  
"I never said she was, I just said that it sounded like her." Mr. Porter replied. Watching Frodo's expression, he continued, "Sarah would know better than to be in here in the middle of the night."   
  
Frodo did his best not to reveal the fact that she was there, just in the closet with in elf, but the man was making him extremely nervous. He didn't know how much more he could take before he cracked.  
  
Inside the closet, Sarah and Legolas listened to the interrogation unfold. Sarah, being smaller, had to sit practically on Legolas so the both of them would fit in the tight space. It was not the most comfortable situation, but what could they do about it? Nothing. It would not have been so bad if one of them could have stood, but they were both too tall and the coats and jackets took up a lot of room.  
  
"Maybe one of us should have hid under the bed." Sarah whispered, trying to get into a more comfortable position. She ended up elbowing Legolas in the ribs. She winced at the same time he did, "Sorry."  
  
"Its fine." he whispered, hiding the pain from his voice, "Just stop moving."  
  
Sarah nodded, then whispered again, "I really hope my dad leaves soon, I'm starting to get claustrophobic."  
  
"Claustrophobic?" Legolas looked down at her.   
  
"Yeah," Sarah said, her breathing getting more rapid. "It's where you think the walls are closing in on you. You start to feel trapped and can't breathe."  
  
Sarah tried to slow her breathing, but it didn't help and she was starting to panic. She grasped at the collar of her nightgown, trying to give herself more air, but to no luck.  
  
Legolas watched as she did this. Not knowing what else to do, he slowly grasped her wrists and pulled them away from her throat and began to sing in a whisper as not to be heard. Sarah couldn't understand what he was singing, it wasn't in English, but whatever it was, it seemed to help her get her mind off of the small space they were in.  
  
After a few minutes of this, Legolas let go of her wrists and stopped singing. Sarah no longer felt like she was trapped. In fact, she felt completely at peace. "What was that you sang?"  
  
"An old Elvish lullaby." Legolas whispered, "My mother sang it to me when I was young. I thought it would help to calm you."  
  
"Thank you...it did help." Sarah whispered back.   
  
Frodo was getting more and more nervous by the minute, especially when he heard the soft melody coming from the closet. He just hoped that Mr. Porter had not heard it as well.  
  
"Well, Frodo, I'm sorry to have bothered you." Richard apologized. Apparently, he had not heard. "I just have to be cautious, you know? I thought I heard something in here, but I guess I was just imagining things."  
  
Frodo watched as Sarah's father turned to leave, "I understand completely, Mr. Porter. If this were my house, I would have done the same thing."  
  
"Good," Mr. Porter nodded his head, then made his way into the hall, "Well, I won't keep you any longer, you need your sleep. Tomorrow's going to be very hectic."  
  
"You have no idea." Frodo said under his breath as Richard bade him good-night. "Good-night, Mr. Porter."  
  
Frodo watched as he walked down the hall toward the stairs, then disappeared into the darkness of the poorly lit side hall that led to his own room. Silently, Frodo shut the door and hurried to the closet. "He's gone now."  
  
The closet door immediately flew open and both Sarah and Legolas tumbled out onto the floor infront of Frodo. Legolas stood up quickly and brushed the dust that had collected on him from all the unused clothes, off of himself.  
  
Sarah, on the other hand just laid in the floor, not even attempting to get up. Frodo knelt down beside her, "Sarah?"  
  
She turned her head to look at him and smiled, causing Frodo to smile back, "Yes?"   
  
Offering her his hand, he asked, "Need some help?"  
  
"I think I like it down here, actually...it's kind of relaxing." Sarah laughed, then took his hand, "But if I have to, I'd love some help."  
  
Taking both her hands in his, Frodo could feel her warmth as he pulled her to her feet. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I think I should have chosen a better place to hide than the closet." Sarah told him once she was balanced. "Way too small for the both of us."  
  
Frodo looked toward the open door of the closet and was amazed that they could have fit in there at all, "I can see that."  
  
"On top of that, I started to panic and such, but Legolas helped me with that." Sarah said, pointing behind Frodo toward the elf who was currently looking around at different things on the tables and shelves, occasionally picking one up to examine it closely.  
  
"How's that?" Frodo asked, knowing very well what the answer would be as he looked back at Legolas.  
  
"He sang to me, but I couldn't understand the words..." Sarah replied softly. A grin appeared on her face as Frodo continued to look back at his friend. "Something wrong?"  
  
"What?" Frodo asked, turning back to look at her.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" she asked, but the grin was gone.   
  
"I'm not sure...I need to speak with Legolas." he replied, looking intensely into her eyes.   
  
By the look on his face and the tone in his voice, Sarah knew it had to be important, "Then go talk to him, Frodo."  
  
He smiled at her, sending a blush to her cheeks. She hoped he hadn't seen it, but she knew he had by the way he smiled wider as he walked away.   
  
Those eyes, she thought to herself as she turned her back to him, He makes me so nervous, yet also reassured. I feel safe with him...  
  
Sarah smiled at the thought as she bent down to pick up and put away some of the things that had fallen out of the closet as well. Not even having to look up, she knew that Frodo and Legolas were watching her. "Just go back to talking, guys, I'm just cleaning up."  
  
Both Frodo and Legolas quickly averted their gaze, making Sarah wonder even more about what they were talking about.  
  
Frodo watched Sarah out of the corner of his eye while he attempted to ask Legolas what he had come to ask him, but something else came out instead, "You sang to her."  
  
"Yes." Legolas asked, a wondering look crossing his brow. "Did she tell you?"  
  
"She didn't have to tell me! I could hear you through the door." Frodo tried not to say it too loud or somebody might hear.  
  
"The man did not hear me, did he?" Legolas asked.  
  
"No...no, he didn't. He didn't appear to hear anything." Frodo replied thoughtfully, missing the expression coming over the elf's face. "It seemed really strange to me..."  
  
"What did?" Frodo turned to find Sarah standing just a few feet away from them.   
  
"It's nothing," Frodo said plainly, "I was merely telling Legolas that I heard him singing to you in the closet."  
  
"You did? My dad didn't, did he?" Frodo could hear the subtle panic rising in her voice. He didn't hear it for long, though, for it was gone the next time she spoke, "Of course he didn't! If he had, he would have found us faster than you can say 'Bob's yer uncle'!"  
  
Frodo watched as Sarah walked away giggling to herself, then turned back to Legolas who had also watched her walk away, "Who is 'Bob'?"   
  
Legolas shrugged. "Her emotions never are the same for very long, are they?"  
  
"No, they change quite a bit." Frodo smiled as he watched her, that warm, wonderful feeling coming over him again.   
  
"Change..."Legolas thought as Frodo made his way over to Sarah, "You may not realize it, but you have changed quite a bit yourself, my friend." 


	8. Costume Parties and Hiking Boots

A/N: Sorry its taken so long to update, but I've had some serious writer's block. Anyway, I saw "The Return of the King" last Thursday so I'm really happy. *pitches tent* I'm a happy camper, hee hee. It's a great movie. I noticed I really messed up on some of the details in my story, but I'm going to try to work some things around to fix them. The only thing I can't fix is the finger thing. Also, I think I'm going to put this story on hold for awhile, but don't worry, it will continue. Maybe I'll read the rest of the book so I don't have to fix anything else later on if I forget some litle detail or something. Oh, and I would like to thank all of my reviewers for reviewing: THANK YOU, REVIEWERS!!! Now, on to the story.  
  
Chapter Eight: Costume Parties and Hiking Boots  
  
"Frodo, wake up! It's morning!" Frodo heard the knock at the door, then Sarah's voice calling to him. Sitting up in bed, Frodo replayed the events of the night before. The one thing that stuck in his mind the most was that Sarah finally believed him, and that meant more to him than anything else in the world at that moment in time. "Frodo? Are you awake?"  
  
Pushing the sheets off, Frodo lifted himself from the bed and walked over to the door. Pulling it open, he greeted Sarah with a smile, "Yes, I would guess I am awake."  
  
Sarah looked past him and in a hushed voice asked, "What about Legolas?"  
  
In an equally hushed voice, Frodo replied, "After you left last night, he decided it would be best to leave and come back in the morning."  
  
"What?!" Sarah cried, a little too loudly, as they made their way down the stairs. Looking around to make sure nobody had heard, she questioned, "Are you telling me that an elf, an elf prince, no less, is wandering around town right now?!"  
  
Frodo laughed a little and shook his head, "Don't worry, Sarah. Trust me, it's fine. He said he'd find a place to stay...probably in a tree or something."  
  
"But what if he's seen? I don't think that people will appreciate finding an elf in their tree!"  
  
Frodo smiled down at her before speaking, "Legolas will be fine. Nobody will see him if he does not wish to be seen." Looking up for a second, Frodo nodded to himself, "He's coming even as we speak."  
  
Suddenly, a knock came to the front door, causing Sarah to look a Frodo strangely.  
  
"Are you going to answer the door?" Frodo grinned at her as she looked from him to it. Giving him one last glance, she walked over and pulled it open. Frodo tried to conceal a smile as he watched her mouth drop open.   
  
  
  
Legolas stood in the doorway...wearing an overcoat from the closet in Frodo's room. Not only that, he also wore a bandanna to cover the tips of his ears and he held a hat in his hands. Sarah guessed that the hat was to cover the bandanna.   
  
"There are no words..." Sarah said, still looking wide-eyed at Legolas.   
  
"Thank you." Legolas said, obviously misunderstanding her comment. Looking down at himself for a second, he asked, "Is this really what people wear in this time?"  
  
"Some people do..." Sarah replied, after getting over the initial shock. Motioning for him to follow her inside, she continued, "I think it might be best for you to take them off before my father sees you, though. They kinda belong to him and I don't know if I'd be able to explain what you're doing with them."  
  
Nodding, Legolas shed the garments and handed them to Sarah, who immediately shoved them behind the closest chair.  
  
"Sarah? Did I hear someone at the door?" Sarah's father asked as he came into the room. Seeing Legolas, he answered himself, "I guess I did." Coming closer, Mr. Porter greeted him, "Hello, I'm Richard Porter."  
  
"Legolas Greenleaf." Legolas replied.   
  
Sarah's blood ran cold, she hadn't thought about the fact that his name would also come from 'The Lord of the Rings'. She could tell by the look on her father's face, however, that it wasn't going to be a problem.  
  
"Another LotR fanatic, huh?" Mr. Porter laughed, then turned to Frodo, "He a friend of your's?"  
  
"Yes, actually." Frodo nodded. Sarah saw the look in his eyes, the look that said, 'If you only knew.' She also saw a different look, one that she couldn't read.  
  
Turning to her father, Sarah tried to explain the situation as best she could. She turned on the 'precious little angel' charm and said sweetly, "Daddy...Legolas needs a place to stay. I was thinking, since Frodo knows him, he could stay here, couldn't he?"  
  
Looking down into her pleading eyes, Mr. Porter couldn't possibly say no, "If Frodo doesn't mind sharing his room, I don't see why not."  
  
Giving her father a quick hug, Sarah cried, "I knew you couldn't say no to me!"  
  
"Yes, well, I do seem to have a problem with that, don't I?" Mr. Porter smiled down at his daughter, "And you don't exactly make it any easier, do you?"  
  
Shaking her head, Sarah looked back toward Legolas, "I think I'll show him the room he'll be staying in, now." Turning to Frodo, she held out her hand and asked, "Frodo, why don't you come too?"  
  
"Sure." Frodo replied, taking her hand. She knew he had seen the look she had given him.  
  
Pulling Frodo along beside her, she pushed Legolas up the stairs infront of them. She needed to get him out of there as fast as she possibly could, but realized it was too late when she noticed that something had caught her father's eye. She followed his gaze to what she knew he had been looking at: Legolas' ears...they were going to be a problem.  
  
"Sarah, what---" Mr. Porter started to say, but Sarah cut him off.  
  
Thinking fast, she shouted an explanation as she rushed them the rest of the way up the stairs, "Costume party, Dad!"  
  
Mr. Porter watched as they disappeared down the hallway, then went back to whatever he had been doing before, not thinking twice about the ears.  
  
Leading them down the hall toward Frodo's room, Sarah let out a sigh of relief. Opening the door, she followed them inside and shut it quickly behind them.   
  
"That was close!" she said. Pointing to Legolas, she continued, "I think we may have a problem with your ears."  
  
"I had a feeling they would be." Legolas replied, "I also believed that my clothes might be a little noticeable." Looking from Frodo to Legolas, Sarah nodded as she studied their clothes.  
  
"I never really noticed them before, but I guess you're right. People might find them a little weird." Sarah concluded. She couldn't understand way she hadn't noticed them before. "I'll try to find something else for you to wear before we go to the park later."  
  
"The park?" Frodo questioned her.  
  
"Yeah. We're meeting a friend of mine there around ten, so we only have a couple hours for me to show you around this morning." Sarah motioned to the clock that hung on the wall. "It's just now eight."  
  
Frodo looked at the clock. He wasn't sure if meeting a friend of Sarah's was such a good idea. "Can we tell this friend---"  
  
"Elnora." Sarah interrupted.  
  
Frodo smiled, "Can we tell Elnora about where we came from?"  
  
"I was thinking about that myself, earlier," Sarah replied, "I'm thinking it'll be fine. It'll take a bit of convincing, but I think she'll believe us in the end. I mean, look at me! I didn't believe you at first, but now, there's no doubt in my mind that you are who you say you are."  
  
"That's good to know." Frodo smiled again as he watched her begin to move about the room, obviously looking for something, "Sarah?"  
  
Sarah looked up from the other side of the bed, "Yes?"  
  
"What are you looking for?" Frodo made his way over to her. Helping her up, he could see that she was getting frustrated.  
  
"My dad's old hiking boots." she replied as she scanned the room with her eyes. "I thought you could use them when we go. Legolas, since you're an elf, I didn't think you'd need them."  
  
"Are we going hiking?" Frodo asked her as she continued her search.  
  
"Sort of..." she stated as she reached farther under the bed. "Ah, here they are! I knew they were here somewhere. Sorry if they're a little worn out, but they are old." Frodo saw her emerge from under the bed with a pair of dingy looking boots. Once they got into the light, they were even worse, coming apart at the seams almost, "Um...maybe my dad has a newer pair you could use. You stay here while I go check."  
  
With that, she was out the door and down the hall in search of her father.   
  
Frodo wondered about many things in her absence. One thing in particular kept coming to mind, something that he had been wanting to ask Legolas since he arrived.  
  
"Legolas?" The elf looked up from a book he had picked up from the table. "Why did Gandalf send you? It couldn't just be to tell me what's going on in Middle Earth."  
  
Legolas looked back down at the book before he set it aside. "No, Frodo, it's not."  
  
Frodo looked at his friend. Noticing the sad expression on his face, Frodo asked, "What, then? Is there something else?"  
  
Legolas nodded, "Frodo, you were not the only one taken that day by the unknown."  
  
Right before Frodo was able to ask who else had been taken, Sarah burst through the door, "Okay, one pair of hiking boots." Holding out the boots in one hand, she also held some clothes out with the other hand, "I raided Logan's closet for these. I think they'll be large enough to wear over your own. Don't ask me why, but he likes his clothes way too oversized."  
  
Taking them, both Frodo and Legolas held out their temporary clothes infront of them. They were, indeed, large enough to go over their own clothes.   
  
Quickly pulling them on, Frodo turned toward the window. He noticed the sky was getting darker as rain clouds hid the sun from view. He wondered what Sarah had meant when she had said that they would be "sort of" going hiking, and if they would be "sort of" hiking in the rain. Even more so than that, he wondered who else had been taken from Middle Earth. 


End file.
